When work was finishing up for the day, A B Hancock issued instructions that he had to be called when the mare, Miss Disco, was about to foal.

As it was cold, wet and windy, he would have preferred to spend the night in a comfortable armchair by a warm fire, and his favourite beverage, a swig of bourbon.

Normally the staff would attend to the foaling, however, Hancock wanted to be on hand this time to make sure everything went smoothly, Miss Disco was foaling to Nasrullah, it would be the first foal by him born in the U S.

Nasrullah was purchased by Bull Hancock, from the old Aga Khan, the price was never mentioned, except to say it would put the national debt to shame

Miss Disco was owned by Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps, a long standing client of Claiborne, and a prominent breeder for many years.

Once Miss Disco delivered her foal safely, Hancock was about to make his way back to his warm fire, when he was summoned that Knight’s Daughter was also about to foal to Princequillo.

That was no big deal really, there were still mares to foal, they didn’t need him now, the staff was well equipped, veterinary attention was always on hand, the fire could have gone out and someone could have knocked off the bourbon.

Eventually the foals were weaned and branded and not by design, they shared the same paddock with a number of other colts, whether they could run fast enough was in the unknown.

The day of reckoning was coming, the first born colt from Miss Disco was named Bold Ruler, he won 23 races from 33 starts, while the colt from Knight’s Daughter was Round Table, he won 43 races from 66 starts.